I’ve done this several times. Things you can do to fit in:

Quickly master the local accent & slang.

Don’t compare the new place to your previous place (e.g., no “You call these bagels?”)

Go out if your way to praise the new place.

Attend sports events & root for local high school teams.

Dress like locals. Don’t drive your tractor while wearing a 3-piece suit like Eddie Albert on “Green Acres.”

Anonymous wrote:Yes and hated every second of it.
-- St. Louis, fled that place as soon as possible.

Philadelphia is like this, too

Yes and hated every second of it.
-- St. Louis, fled that place as soon as possible.

I spent 6th grade in a small town in Indiana. It was very insular and as awful as you would imagine for imports like me. The locals seemed to like it and it was total poverty and desolation. Just not to welcoming to outsiders.

Yes, when I was little we moved to a small country town in the UK. My father had his work colleagues, and my mother found friends who were curious about her background. I was bullied at school, but after punching a few people, I found friends too. I was the ONLY non-local, and foreigner to boot, of the entire school, OP, for many years.

Overall I have wonderful memories of that time.

Anonymous wrote:So basically any other place in the world, aside from this area?

Most major cities have large numbers of transplants

I've been the new person in a number of small communities that have few transplants. As 9:20 suggested, engage in activities that bring you in routine contact with locals. I don't attend church but there are still volunteer opportunities and ways to participate in community activities. You may have to make a little more effort but I've found people to be receptive. It's even easier if you have kids.

Just be nice and don’t think that anyone’s impressed that you used to live in [whatever city].

After 20 years, you will still be "the new guy."

There are places like the DMV, with people constantly coming and going.

There are many places with a nice lifestyle, where people from away settle. People from away tend to hang with others from away.

OP, are you talking about temporarily or permanently being in a place that doesn't have a lifestyle draw and is mostly locals? Yeah, that's going to be tough.

Yes - but I was a child. What helped was my parents quickly got involved in volunteering in schools, church and community activities and that led to almost instant connections with these active and engaged people and their families.

My brother is a longtime election officer and polling site volunteer in his small, locals only town and has been quickly accepted and befriended. They love him.

So basically any other place in the world, aside from this area?

Anonymous wrote:Find a community of faith, join a hobby group (I have found knitters to be the most welcoming and work out places to be the last)

Oh, and volunteer somewhere.

Find a community of faith, join a hobby group (I have found knitters to be the most welcoming and work out places to be the last)

It makes it difficult to fit in when you're used to being around transients and they've been around the same people for decades. And I'll just say it - they don't accept you very often since you're new and not to be trusted. Any advice for handling this and fitting into a community without much turnover?